There’s something a bit magical about this historic regional town in the dark, cold months – and this is exactly what the Ballarat Winter Festival seeks to capture.
From June 24 to July 8, the Gold Rush town will come alive with food and wine events, gigs and performances, an ice rink, a huge market and (our particular favourite) Winter Wonderlights at Sovereign Hill. The festival will include more than 40 events, and it's anticipated around 100,000 visitors will visit the city during the three-week festival.
Highlights of the program include the pop-up ice skating rink, which will host child-friendly, sensory and disco-themed skating sessions, and the Design Exchange Market, which brings together a number of independent designers, artists and creators.
Kryal Castle will be hosting Knights of Fire, which tells the story of Snow Queen Neva’s battle to save the kingdom. Expect jousting with flaming sticks, magical potions and axe throwing. For music and art lovers, Be_Hear/Now will showcase some of Ballarat's best artists and performers, including electro-western duo Confetti Western and rapper Sami Regague.
But wait, there's more: the Ballarat Wildlife Park is celebrating the arrival of Akasha –
Ballarat’s newest tiger. While there, you can also hand-feed kangaroos, see
koalas and emus, meet a wombat and admire the little penguins.
Phew, talk about a jam-packed line-up! You can check out the full program on the Ballarat Winter Festival's website.
